Trees to Avoid

These are either trees on the Colorado Noxious Weed List or are not recommended for our area.

Colorado Department of Agriculture: List B species. The goal is to stop the spread of the indicated species.

Common Name
Scientific Name
Comments
Russian Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Unfortunately, this tree out-competes native
streamside vegetation and is no
longer allowed to be sold in Colorado.
Salt Cedar
Tamarix chinensis, T. Parviflors,
and T. ramosissima
 

Department of Agriculture: Plant Industry Division. Prunus species OTHER THAN those listed below are not allowed to be imported into the San Luis Valley. The purpose of this Quarantine is to protect the potato fields in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache counties against the over wintering host of the primary aphid vector of certain viral diseases that affect potatoes. To see the latest data, go to the CO State webpage Plant Imports and click on Prunus Quarantine.

The following are the ONLY ALLOWED PRUNUS species

Common Name
Scientific Name
Western Sand Cherry
Prunus besseyi
Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
Prunus cistena
Flowering Almond
Prunus glandulosa
Amur Chokecherry
Prunus maackii
Nanking Cherry
Prunus tomentosa
Flowering Almond
Prunus triloba
Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana

Not oulawed, but discouraged.

Common Name
Scientific Name
Comments
Chinese (Siberian) Elm
Ulmus pumila
These prolific seeders are responsible for
the gutters full of seeds in the spring.
Weedy volunteers sprout throughout
Colorado. They are short-lived trees
that shed limbs easily
in snow or wind storms
and are susceptible to
elm leaf beetle. Consider the American Elm,
Ulmus americana, as an alternative.